Powered underwater weed cutter



March 10, 1970 5:, 1G ETAL 3,499,271

POWERED UNDERWATER WEED CUTTER Filed June 20, 1967 .Z'NVENTORS LEONARD E. DR/GERT THOMAS E. DIP/GER?- rom/5r United States Patent 3,499,271 POWERED UNDERWATER WEED CUTTER Leonard E. Drigert and Thomas E. Drigert, both of 1900 Quincy Ave., Racine, Wis. 53403 Filed June 20, 1967, Ser. No. 647,483 Int. Cl. A01d 45/08 US. Cl. 56-8 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An underwater weed cutter mountable on a powered boat for cutting weeds below the surface of the water as the boat is advanced over the water. The cutter and propeller are attachable to the motor, and both are drivingly connected to the motor to be powered thereby. The cutter is an attachment removable from the motor, and the propeller may be mounted on the motor when the cutter is either present or removed. Also, the propeller may vary in size so that the propulsion of the boat may be varied in accordance with one speed of cutter operation.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an underwater weed cutter of the marine type. Cutters have been applied to boat motors for cutting weeds under water. Commonly, these cutters are powered by the boat motor which has its propeller removed so that the cutter may be attached to the motor and operated only in the absence of the propeller. Thus the boat must be propelled by means other than its com monly provided propeller.

Also, where an underwater cutter is provided, there is the problem of operating the cutter, .and of propelling the boat, both in a manner so that cutter will operate efficiently and will not become clogged with weeds to be cut.

Still further, underwater cutters of the construction known heretofore have been found to be difficult to attach to the motor, as well as becoming clogged or jammed with the weeds which are being cut.

Accordingly, the present invention provides an underwater weed cutter which can be readily and easily attached to the boat motor, and which also utilizes the boat propeller to maneuver the cutter through the water in any desired direction while cutting the weeds at a point substantially below the surface of the water.

Still further, the present invention provides an easy and simplified construction and means for selecting, and thereby varying, the speed of operation of the cutter compared to the speed of forward movement of the cutter through the water. That is, the speed of propulsion of the boat, in any selected direction, including a rearward direction, is variable and selectable, as desired.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a boat with the cutter attached, and showing them operating in the water for cutting weeds shown therein.

FIG. 2 is a top sectional view of a central portion of the unit, and with the view being taken substantially along line 22 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged side elevational view of parts shown in FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A motorboat is shown in FIG. 1 to include the boat and a motor 11, both of a conventional construction.

3,499,271 Patented Mar. 10, 1970 The motor 11 is suitably mounted on the boat transom 12, and is steerable or swivelable thereon by means of a mounting bracket 13, in any conventional swivel mounting of the motor 11. Thus, the operator such as the one indicated sitting in the boat 10, can steer the boat by turning the motor 11 about its vertical axis by means of the control arm 14. In the position shown in FIG. 1, the boat is moving forwardly through the water, and it is creating the water waves indicated by the lines W, and the purpose is to cut the weeds designated X, so that the upper portions of the weeds will be cut off below the surface of the water, much as indicated in FIG. 1 in the showing of the effect of forward movement of the boat 10. Thus the weeds will not be permitted to come to the surface of the water and pollenate, and thereby multiply and regerminate for next years growth.

Thus a weed cutter, generally designated 16 is attached to the lower end of the upright or vertical motor shaft 15. Of course the shaft '15 might commonly be enclosed in a casing 30 which is commonly empolyed in a conventional type of outboard motor 11. Also, this particular invention is adaptable to an inboard motor, as well as the outboard motor shown.

The cutter 16 is shown to be of the reciprocating sickle- -bar type, and it is suitably attached to the motor 11 to be powered thereby. Also, the usual motor propeller 17 is connected with the motor 11 to rotate via the motor and propel the entire assembly through the water, as mentioned.

Thus the lower end of the motor shaft 15 may have a bevel gear 1'8 which meshes with a bevel gear 19 on a horizontally extending shaft 21 which is suitably supported in the housing '22 which in turn is suitably connected to the motor shaft housing which would normally extend along the shaft 15. A gear box 23 is also attached to the housing 22 and is disposed rearwardly thereof and rotatably supports a shaft 24 which is shown to be telescoped at its end 26 with the shaft 21. A shear pin 27 extends between the shafts 21 and 24, and any overload on the cutter 16 and the propeller 17 will simply shear the pin 27, and avoid damage to the other parts. The box 23 is suitably water tight, and it also contains any necessary and adequate lubricant. A shield 28 is shown as a forward portion of the box 23, and the shield 28 directs the weeds laterally of the box 23, and thus laterally of the propeller 17 which is aligned behind the box 23. The weeds are therefore directed to the ends of the cutter 16 and into the cutting teeth 29 of the cutter 16.

The shaft 24 has a helical gear 31, and a helical gear 32 is in mesh with the gear 31 and it rotates two beveled gears 33 and 34 mounted on a shaft 36 carrying the gear 32. The shaft 36 may be rotataly mounted on the supports 37 in the gear box 23. Gears 33 and 34 are in mesh with beveled gears 38 and 39 which are rotatably supported on shafts 41 and 42, respectively.

The cutter 16 is thus powered by the drive train described, and cutter bars 43 and 44 are shown aflixed with respect to the gear box 23, and extending laterally therefrom on the lower portion of the box with a pair of the plates 43 and 44 on each side of the box 23. A reciprocating cutter bar 46 extends between the stationary bars 43 and 44, and the drive gears described cause the two bars 46 to reciprocate, in the well-known and usual manner of construction and operation of the reciprocating sicklebar type of cutter.

Thus rivets 47 extend between the three bars 43, 44, and 46, and the rivets 47 extend through the slots 48 in the reciprocating bar 46. Thus the bars are suitably supported on the gear box 23, as well as with respect to the lower end of the motor 11, and operation of the motor 11 causes rotation of the motor shaft 15 and the ultimate reciprocation of the cutterbars 46, as desired.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show that the bevel gears 38 and 39 have pins 49 extending therebelow and .accentric thereto. The pins 49 extended to slots 50 in the cutter bars 46. Thus rotation of the gears 38 and 39, and consequent orbiting of the pin 49 on each of the gears 38 and 39, will cause the desired reciprocation of the cutter bars 46. Water seals 51 may be employed to prevent the Water from entering the box 23.

An important feature is to notice that the propeller 17 is shown mounted on the end 52 of the shaft 24. However, the cutter 16, including the gear box 23, and the shaft 24, can all be removed from the shaft 21 and the housing 22 which supports the gear box thereon through a brace 53. Then the propeller 17 can be mounted directly to the shaft 21, in the absence of the cutter 16. Therefore, the conventional type of motor, with its propeller 17, can be readily modified to mount and operate the'cutter 16 while the propeller 17 is still utilized for moving the boat through the water. Further, the boat may be moved in any desired direction, in accordance with the steering of the boat by means of turning the motor 11 as described, and the weeds X will be directed laterally of the gear box 23 and the propeller 17 so that they are directed into the cutting teeth 29, as desired. The gear box 23, and the entire cutter 16, is therefore in the nature of an attachment which can be readily applied to the motor 11, and the propeller 17 is also mounted on the motor 11. The drive to the cutter 16 is shown to be a direct drive through the gears described. Of course it can also be through a different gear ratio. Further, the mounting of a propeller 17 of a size selected may be made, and selecting a larger size propeller would cause a more powerful and increased speed of movement of the boat through the water. Therefore, the entire unit may be operated, with respect to cutter speed and forward boat speed, in a controllable and selectable manner simply by selecting proper gear ratios or by placing a different size propeller 17 on the shaft 24.

What is claimed is:

1. In an underwater weed cutter for mounting on a boat, a boat, a motor mounted on said boat and having a steerable shaft housing extending downwardly into the water, a first drive shaft disposed in said housing and extending therein, a second drive shaft drivingly connected to said first drive shaft and extending horizontally from the lower end of said first drive shaft, a gear box attachment on the lower end of said shaft housing, gears in said gear box and being drivingly connected to said sec- 0nd drive shaft, a weed cutter drivingly connected to said gears, the improvement comprising a driven shaft rotatably supported in said gear box and having one end drivingly connected to said horizontally extending drive shaft and extending co-axial with said horizontally extending drive shaft and beyond said gear box, a propeller mounted on the other end of said driven shaft and beyond said gear box, one of said gears being on said driven shaft for extending the drive from said horizontally extending drive shaft to said weed cutter, said weed cutter being a reciprocating cutter mounted on said gear box and extending horizontally therefrom to both sides of said gear box and being operative on a horizontal plane which is parallel to the axis of rotation of said driven shaft, said propeller having a single mounting means for mounting on said horizontally extending drive shaft and also on said driven shaft when said gear box and said horizontally extending drive shaft are removed.

2. The subject matter of claim 1, wherein said weed cutter is in two sections extending horizontally on opposite sides of said gear box, and including a shield disposed on said gear box and forwardly thereof and forwardly of said two sections relative to the forward direction of propulsion of said boat by said propeller, said shield having .a horizontal width wider than the maximum span of said propeller and being disposed on the axis of said propeller and forwardly thereof, for directing weeds into said two sections and out of the path of said propeller.

3. The subject matter of claim 1, wherein said horizontally extending drive shaft has connecting means available for use in drivingly connecting to said propeller, said driven shaft including a sleeve portion telescoped over said connecting means of said horizontally extending drive shaft for drivingly connecting said shafts, and said other end of said driven shaft having connecting means identical to said connecting means of said horizontally extending drive shaft for drivingly connecting to said propeller.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,130,531 4/1964 Woleslagle 56-8 FOREIGN PATENTS 787,268 9/ 1935 France.

ANTONIO F. GUIDA, Primary Examiner JAMES A. OLIFF, Assistant Examiner 

